How did early scientists conduct experiments without modern resources?

[rejuice]

How did you find PF?

search engines like duckduckgo

Hi everyone, I graduated in chemistry some years back and am trying to get back into it (hence the username). I've found myself appreciating older textbooks more than newer ones - the concepts are presented without the fluff and there's more hands-on experimenting with the real stuff, not just analogous examples with boring things like paper and marshmallows. But science is expensive and we don't have local chemists anymore. You sadly have to figure out ingredients of store items by looking them up online since they hide the actual contents on the label. "Nobody cares about our trade secrets" seems to be the thought. Enough ranting.

I've been really trying to dig into the old experiments, figuring out how the original scientists managed to figure this stuff out with very little background info. It's cool to read. I'd like to find more of that.

I'm a big fan of rocketry, and I've done some of it in the past.

It seems I just have a jinx - none of my apparati built-from-scratch work, especially electrical, even the simple things like trying to conduct static electricity down a thread.

 

[Mark44]

none of my apparati built-from-scratch work, especially electrical, even the simple things like trying to conduct static electricity down a thread.

I would think you need thread that is a reasonably good conductor of electricity. Maybe if the thread was soaked in a slightly acidic solution, say vinegar, your apparatus might work.

Anyway, welcome to Physics Forums, or PF for short.

 

[anorlunda]

Yes, welcome to PF.

Try the PF search tool. We have many threads that talked about science history.

 

[berkeman]

How did you find PF?: search engines like duckduckgo

none of my apparati built-from-scratch work, especially electrical, even the simple things like trying to conduct static electricity down a thread.

Sounds like I'll be seeing you in the EE and DIY forums a lot. Welcome to the PF!

 

[rejuice]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone!

I would think you need thread that is a reasonably good conductor of electricity. Maybe if the thread was soaked in a slightly acidic solution, say vinegar, your apparatus might work.

Good suggestion.
I did manage to figure out the other day I wasn't generating enough static in the first place... Maybe that would help. XD
I'll have to remember to try out your suggestion, so thank you!

 

[Mark44]

Something else I thought of, besides wetting the thread, is to coat the thread with graphite dust (pencil "lead").

 

[rejuice]

True. Good suggestion. I had read about why carbon nanotubes conduct, but it hadn't dawned on me graphite would be the same until I saw in an old book pencil leads being used as conductors for electrolysis of water. Bizarre. Hm... Is it possible then to draw your own electrical circuit and have it "work" (albeit perhaps poorly)?

I was hoping, though, to see static be conducted by an insulator, like supposedly old experimental records claim (at least the ones I read).